Decision Support

Start-up Strategy for Consortium of City Planning Professionals ​

Civic Sphere worked with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 2017 to create a strategy and tactics for a new initiative, the Consortium for Scenario Planning. Initial tasks included developing target market segmentation to direct participant growth and designing website communication. Additional tasks included conceiving of the first annual conference, a kickoff event, to engage the first target market of anticipated “early adopters” and setting up basic organizational infrastructure including an annual budget, payment intake process, 15-person board, and peer organization partnerships.

​A special focus on educational strategy was included to ensure that city planning professionals new to scenario planning could learn more about the concept, and potentially join the Consortium. Peer exchange was built in through working groups and in-person events. As of summer 2018, the Consortium has 19 participants, including 14 organizations and 5 individuals.

Scale-up Strategy for Consortium of City Planning Professionals ​

Civic Sphere worked with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 2018 to scale up the operations of the Consortium for Scenario Planning. With the “early adopters” actively engaged in the new initiative, the work focused on connecting with the next target market through in-person events and new educational offerings. With the success of the start-up phase and 19 participants joining the Consortium, the time came to ensure operations worked at a larger scale with new incoming participants.

​This included strategy and tactics for broadening the messaging to more targeted audiences, recruiting event planning specialists, fundraising, and formalizing the participant intake process. In addition, a work plan was developed and approved by the board for various activities during 2018.